Rickettsia rickettsii spotted fever in the Americas: a growing public health problem

Rocky mountain spotted fever is a public health problem in America. The disease remains as a challenge for Health Systems at regional level. It is an illness of medical relevance due to its high case-fatality rate when it is not diagnosed and treated early. Although anyone is susceptible to infection, some groups are more vulnerable due to increased exposure to ticks, including children who have higher morbidity and fatal outcomes. A myriad of biological, ecological and social factors, complexly interrelated, are associated with its epidemiological pattern, which requires integrated and multidisciplinary interventions at different levels. The incidence of the disease may continue to increase in the region and its actual occurrence required an urgent call for regional action. Preventive actions that reduce contact with ticks and increase early disease suspicion should be priorities in the health agenda of various nations in America.

• Fecha de publicación: 2015
• Institución: Universidad Industrial de Santander
• Repositorio: Repositorio UIS
• Idioma: spa
• OAI Identifier: oai:noesis.uis.edu.co:20.500.14071/8822
• Acceso en línea: https://revistas.uis.edu.co/index.php/revistasaluduis/article/view/5131; https://noesis.uis.edu.co/handle/20.500.14071/8822
• Palabra clave: Rocky mountain spotted fever; Tick-borne diseases; Central America; South America; Fiebre maculosa de las Montañas Rocosas; Enfermedades por picaduras de Garrapatas; América Central; América del Sur
• Rights: openAccess
• License: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)